Method for upgrading software version of mobile terminal using integrated difference files

Abstract

A method for upgrading a software version of a UE (User Equipment) using integrated difference files. The software upgrade method for upgrading a software version of the UE includes the steps of generating, by a service provider, difference files between a plurality of software versions and an integrated difference file of the difference files; transmitting, by the service provider, the integrated difference file to the UE via a mobile communication enterprise; and upgrading, by the UE, the software program stored in the UE to a selected target software version with reference to the integrated difference file.

Description

PRIORITY [0001] This application claims priority to an application entitled “METHOD FOR UPGRADING SOFTWARE VERSION OF MOBILE TERMINAL USING INTEGRATED DIFFERENCE FILES”, filed in the Korean Intellectual Property Office on Jun. 24, 2004 and assigned Serial No. 2004-47739, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates to a mobile terminal, and more particularly to a method for upgrading a software version of a mobile terminal. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Typically, a mobile terminal includes a transceiver, a data I / O (Input / Output) unit, and an antenna so as to establish transmission / reception of audio and / or video data signals with a counterpart terminal. [0006] The mobile terminal includes a software program for controlling / utilizing predetermined hardware functions. The software program is stored in a nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory installed...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0020] It is another object of the present invention to provide a UE software upgrade method for reducing a time consumed for upgrading an old software version to a new software version of the UE, and receiving all update information necessary for a user-desired software version only once such that it can upgrade the old software version to the user-desired software version in a single operation.

[0029] The present invention detects a difference file between software versions, generates an integrated difference file corresponding to the detected difference file, transmits the integrated difference file to the UE, and upgrades an old software version to a new software version selected by the UE on the basis of the integrated difference file, such that it can more simply upgrade a software version to a desired software version. Furthermore, if the software version is upgraded to a target software version requiring a plurality of steps, the software version is upgraded to the target software version with reference to difference files of individual versions of the integrated difference file of all the software versions providable from the service provider, such that a software version of the UE can be simply upgraded to the target software version irrespective of software version information, and a time consumed for the upgrade operation and the number of access times between the UE and the service provider can be reduced.

Problems solved by technology

Eventually, with the progression of time, newer versions of this program are released and the older versions become outdated.

When the newer versions of the program are installed in mobile terminals, terminals which are either older or not updated with the newest version of the software program maybe unable to receive the newest or the latest mobile services from a mobile communication enterprise.

However, the aforementioned software upgrade method for use in the conventional terminal is not passive and therefore is inconvenient, and has a disadvantage in that the user must remember to constantly upgrade the software version so as to be able to receive the newest and / or the latest mobile services from a mobile communication system.

However, the aforementioned software upgrade method of the UE has a disadvantage in that the software upgrade operation must be repeatedly performed whenever the software program version of the UE is older than the other software program version that the service provider 10 currently uses.

If a user desires to upgrade their software program version from a version 1.0 to a version 2.0, the aforementioned software upgrade method has another disadvantage in that the upgrade operation must be repeatedly performed for every step (e.g., version 1.2, version 1.5, version 1.7, . . . , version 2.0) until upgrading the software version between the service provider 10 and the UE 30 from version 1.0 to version 2.0, resulting in a longer period of time being consumed for the upgrade operation.

However, the aforementioned examples also have the same problems as those of the conventional software version upgrade method of FIG. 1.

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